Independent Labor | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | Ind. Lab[1] |
| Victorian Legislative Assembly | 1 / 88 |
Independent Labor (orIndependent Labour) is a description used inAustralian politics, often to designate a politician who is anAustralian Labor Party (ALP) member but not endorsed by the party atelections, or if sitting in a parliament, not a member of theLabor party room caucus.[2][3] The label has also been used to describe candidates who identify with thelabour movement, but not the ALP.[4][5]
Registering a party or affiliation as an "Independent Labor" is not permitted inNew South Wales under section 64 of theElectoral Act 2017, and the use of the term in electoral material is also considered an offence under section 180 of the act.[6][7]
As of October 2024, the only MP who is a rank-and-file member of the Labor Party yet is not part of the party's parliamentary caucus isDarren Cheeseman, a member of theVictorian Legislative Assembly.
The first Independent Labour MP in federal politics wasJames Wilkinson, who was elected at the1901 election.[8] He had been a member of the ALP previously, and rejoined the party in 1903.[9]
TheBlackburn-Mutton Labor Party was formed in June 1947 byDoris Blackburn, the member forBourke, andCharlie Mutton, the member forCoburg in theVictorian Legislative Assembly. It was created as a guarantee company so that both MPs could keep describing themselves as Independent Labor after the ALP attempted to restrict the use of the word "Labor".[10][11] The party later merged into theProgressive Labor Party.[12][13]
TheIndependent Labor Group was a grouping in theNew South Wales Legislative Council from 1959 to 1977, after a number of Labor MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was then party policy.[14][15]
In more recent years, the label has been rarely used outside of local elections. Former MPBrenton Best nominated as an Independent Labor candidate in 2017, andTerritory Labor MPJeff Collins used the label after resigning from the party in 2019, before later joiningTerritory Alliance.[16][17]
On 23 August 2021, formerTasmanian Labor leaderDavid O’Byrne resigned from the party caucus to sit as an Independent Labor MP, which he continued to do so until resigning his ALP membership on 4 February 2024.[18][19]
On 5 August 2023,Ringwood MPWill Fowles was asked to resign from theparliamentary Victorian Labor Party by then-PremierDaniel Andrews following allegations of a serious assault.[20] He remained as a rank-and-file member until resigning from the party in August 2024.[21]
The "Independent Labor" label is often used atlocal government elections, especially in states or local government areas where the ALP does not endorse any candidates.[22][23][24][25]
Australian politicians have also been elected under other independent labels, includingIndependent Liberal,Independent National, IndependentFree Trade, IndependentUAP and IndependentSocialist.[26][27]
IND LAB Independent Labor
He was eventually kicked out of the parliamentary Labor Party but remained a Labor member, instead sitting as an Independent Labor MP.
Some independents have also been current or former party members who did not fully support their party platform. These independents have chosen to indicate their independence of mind by prefixing the word 'independent' with their party name on the ballot paper (for example, Independent Labor).
A member of the organisation claims that the new party had already absorbed the Blackburn-Mutton group in Coburg, and was now forming new branches.
the Coalition needed the support of an Independent Labor group from 1967-73 to control the Council as imposing a check on the Government
Prior to his resignation, Cr Cullen shared Division 4 with independent Labor councillor Jim Madden.